Catheter



June 28, 1955 J. A. PICKENS 2,711,740

CATHETER Filed Feb. 24, 1954 5 9 INVENTOR.

duuus A. PICKENS A TTORNEY States Patent Ufifice 2,711,740 Ratented June 28, 1955 CATHETER Julius A. Pickens, Easley, S. C.

Application February 24, 1954, Serial No. 412,203

4 Claims. (Cl. 128349) withdrawing the catheter tip is almost equally as painful as its insertion.

Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to provide a catheter of novel design with mechanical controls and attachments so that the catheter tip and tube may be inserted through the entire length of the urethra and into the bladder without causing undue pain or shock to the patient.

Another object is, the removal of the urine from the bladder or drainage of the bladder in a painless and convenient manner.

A further object is, after the aforementioned objects are achieved, to provide means whereby the interior of the bladder and urogenital organs may be medicated or Washed internally and the medicament or wash drained in a convenient manner.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of means for withdrawing the catheter tip and tube in a painless and convenient manner after it has performed its desired function.

My invention generally consists of a catheter including a catheter tube, a substantially bullet shaped tip having a plurality of substantially elliptical, circumferentially spaced orifices, means for introducing a gas and a lubricant under a controlled pressure into the tube for enlarging the channel of the urethra to facilitate the insertion of the tip, means for stopping the flow of gas and lubricant, means for draining the body cavity, means for introducing a wash into the tube for washing the body cavity, means for draining the Wash and means for again introducing gas and lubricant under a controlled pressure to facilitate the withdrawal of the tip.

To attain these and other objects of the invention, and that those who are versed in the science of urology may understand the construction and the method of using the herein described invention, attention is directed to the accompanying drawing, similar numerals denominating similar parts throughout the different figures, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view, or elevation, of the assemblage of the different mechanical parts, with parts broken away,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 in Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the catheter tip showing a plurality of elliptical orifices therefor.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral designates a valve body in which is positioned three plug valves 12, 14 and 16 for manually opening and closing the attachment tubes 18, 20 and 22 respectively. The tubes 18, 20 and 22 continue through apertures (not shown) into the valve body 11} and converge as at 24. The flow through the junction 24 from the tubes 18, 20 and 22 is selectively joined through the valves 12, 14 and 16 to the attachment tube 26.

A flexible tube 28 is attached to the tube 26 by a coupling 30 and is attached to the catheter tube 32 by a T 34. The catheter tube 32 has a novel point or tip 36 as illustrated in the drawing at an enlarged scale in Fig. 3. The catheter tip 36 has a plurality of elliptical orifices, designated at 38 communicating with the catheter tube 32. Eachorifice is placed in an elongated depression 40 and each depression 40 is separated from adjacent depressions by ribs 42. It will be noted that a cup or reservoir 44 which is provided with a compression screw top 46 also communicates with the tubes 28 and 32 through the T 34. The juncture of the catheter tube 32 and the T 34 may be provided with a nipple (not shown) so that catheter tubes of different sizes may be employed.

The attachment tube 18 has a T 47 carried at its free end communicating with an expansion chamber 48 constructed of rubber or suitable elastic material and a gas or air syringe bulb 50 connected thereto by the tube 52. On the opposite side of the valve body 10 a syringe bulb 54 connects with the attachment tube 22 through a tube 56.

In operation, using only the male urethra by way of explanation, the valves 12, 14 and 16 are initially closed. The cup 44 is filled with a suitable lubricant such as a narcotized oil and pressure is applied to the oil by turning the screw 46. The oil in the cup 44 is gradually forced into the catheter tube 32 and as the oil is emitted from the orifices 38, the tip 36 is inserted into the glans penis. As this insertion is being effected, the valve 14 is opened to permit suflicient air or gas to open and enlarge the channel of the urethra. Thus, by pumping the bulb 50 air or gas forces the narcotized oil to flow under a controlled pressure, limited by the expansion chamber 48, and the combination of air or gas and oil precedes the insertion of the tip 36 through the urethra until it enters the bladder, after which the bladder can be drained by closing the valve 14 and opening the valve 16 which permits the contents of the bladder to flow through a tube 53 connected to the attachment tube 20 to any convenient receptacle (not shown).

After the contents of the bladder have been withdrawn, the interior of the bladder can be washed or treated by closing the valve 16 and opening the valve 12. Then by pumping the bulb 54 the wash or medicament from a supply (not shown), will flow through the valve 12 and into the bladder. To permit the wash or medicament to be withdrawn the valve 12 is closed and the valve 16 is opened.

After the above described operations have been accomplished the withdrawal of the catheter tip 36 and tube 32 from the urethra may be facilitated by closing the valves 12 and 16 and opening the valve 14 sufficiently to permit a gentle pressure of air or gas to flow from the bulb 48 through the catheter tube 32 into the urethra.

It is thus seen that I have provided a novel catheter of simple design including means for enlarging the urethra to permit the painless insertion of the catheter tip and tube for washing and medicating the body cavity and then permitting the painless withdrawal of the tip and tube. This simple sequence of comparatively painless operations stands in stark contrast to the unbearably painful operations hitherto necessary to accomplish the same results.

While a preferred embodiment of my invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing 3 from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A catheter comprising a catheter tube, a substantially bullet shaped tip carried at the end of the tube, said tip having a plurality of substantially elliptical circumferentially spaced orifices, means for introducing a gas and a lubricant under a controlled pressure into the tube for enlarging the channel of the urethra. to facilitate the insertion of the tip, means for stopping the flow of gas and lubricant, means for draining the body cavity and means for introducing a wash into the tube for washing the body cavity, said means for draining the body cavity serving to drain the wash and said means for introducing a gas and a lubricant again serving to introduce a gas and a lubricant under a controlled pressure to facilitate the withdrawal of the tip.

2. A catheter comprising a catheter tube having a tip thereon means for introducing a gas and a lubricant under pressure into the tube for enlarging the channel of the urethra, an expansion chamber for limiting the pressure applied to the gas and lubricant, a source of wash communicating with the tube and valve means for selectively controlling the flow of gas and lubricant into the tube and the flow of Wash into the tube.

3. A catheter comprising a catheter tube, a substantially bullet shaped flexible tip having a plurality of substantially elliptical, circumferentially spaced depressions and an orifice in each depression, a reservoir for lubricant communicating with the tube, means for applying pressure to the lubricant, a source of gas under pressure communicating with the tube, an expansion chamber communicating with the source of gas and with the tube to limit the pressure of the gas, a source of wash communicating with the catheter tube and valve means for selectively controlling the flow of gas and lubricant into the tube and the flow of Wash into the tube whereby the channel of the urethra may be enlarged to facilitate the insertion of the tip and subsequent washing of the body cavity and withdrawal of the tip.

4. A catheter comprising a valve body, four tubes coming together in the medial portion of the valve body to form a junction, a catheter tube and a source of oil under pressure communicating with the junction through the first of the four tubes, a source of gas under pressure communicating with the junction through the second of the four tubes through an expansion chamber and a first valve, a source of wash communicating with the junction through the third of the four tubes through a second valve and an extension of the fourth tube communicating with the junction through a third valve whereby with the first valve open the catheter tube may be easily inserted into the urethra with the aid of the flow of gas and lubricant, then by closing the first valve and opening the third valve drainage of the body cavity may be effected through the extension of the fourth tube, then by closing the third valve and opening the second valve the body cavity may be Washed then the wash drained and the catheter tube withdrawn by opening appropriate valves.

References fitted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,022,742 Salerni Dec. 3, 1935 2,157,614 Lazarus May 9, 1939 2,627,271 Purser Feb. 3, 1953 

